Partition wall construction



April 30, 1935. c. scHULTz 1,999,741

PARTITION WALL CON-STRUGTION Filed June 28, 1932 I5 Sheets-Sheet l A TTORNE Y April 30,1935.` C:- SCHUL-rz v 1,999,741

' PARTITIONv WALL CONSTRUCTION Filed June 28, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 VENT 0R April 30, 1935. c. scHiULTz PARTITION WALL CONSTRUCTIC Filed June 28, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Apr. 30, 1935i p l UNITED s'rivriazs .PATENT OFFICE 'l 1.99am clfflis.. PP ctldslgl 19;; zeic. 19,766

The present invention relates to building con- Other objects and advantages o! the invention lstructions and more particularly to an improved not at'this time more particularly enumerated, partition -for' building structures. The partition will become more readily apparent as the nature comprising the present invention is primarily of the invention is betterrunderstood and the adapted for use in oiiice buildings for sub-dividsame consists in the novel construction, combina- 5 ing large rooms into smaller ones or into open tion, and arrangement of parts shown in the actop booths or the like, although the principles companying tliree sheets of drawings, in which:v of the invention are applicable to other uses, and Fig. l is a vertical sectional view taken through the partitions comprising the present invention one form of partition manufacturedinaccordance l0 may be employed in the formation of temporary with the principles of the present invention, and 10 or permanent wall constructions, as, for example, showing the same is assembled position. in the building of permanent oillce of living Fig'. 2 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 1, rooms or in the erecting of temporary divided showing a. modified form of partition installed rooms adapted to remain erected only until the between a iioor and ceiling.

expiration of a tenants lease, when the parti- Fig 2-A is a fragmentary sectional view show- '16 .tions are to be removed and the space restored ing one method of supporting adjacent vertical to its original condition. l panel sections.

Partitions manufactured in accordance with Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of a the principles of the present, invention are parstill further modiiied form of partition construc- 20 ticularly well adapted for use in factory buildtion, in which there is incorporated an expanded 20 ings where the assignment of iloor space to varimetal reinforcing structure. ous services, as, for example, engineering serv` Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view ice, shop service, oiiice service,l or the like, conshowing one form of panel board construction stantly requires remodeling andalteration of then that may be employed in'connection with the iminterior space of the'building. f proved partition. 25

The Vinvention is also applicable for use in over- Fig. 5 is a sectional view of Fig. 4 showing yet night alteration of large halls, as, for example, another form of panel board construction that convention halls where the hall must be hastily may be employed. altered to suit the needs of the exhibitors. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail horizontal sectional The principal Object 0f the present invention view showing the meeting vertical edges of a pair 30 is to provide a partition which may be formed of adjacent partition sections. Figs. 6-A and of anyv suitable composition, as, for example,l 6B are similar views. artificial board such as pressed fibrous material Fig. '7 is a transverse sectional view of a space or cementitious material, manyv of which are filling'- or stiening element employed in coni Well known and are in common use under various nection with the present invention. 35 trade names and which Wm simulate in every Fig. 8 is a sectional view similar to Fig. '7 showrespect the appearance of a more substantial ing a space mung and stig-911mg element of largpermanent wall construction.

onsth nthatshownmFi .6. A further obJect of the mventionis to provide ergilpotnd maare sectional view Similar to 40 a partition which may be erected in position with comparative facility and which may .beV disas- Figs' .maigd 8 picyelylanstlslillgg sembled when its use is no longer desired andre- Space g an emng e served for further use in the erection of another nature partition Fig. ll is a fragmentary sectional view show- Yet another object of l thev invention is to proing a comer fitting employed in connection with 45 vide a partition adapted for use in ofce buildings the imDIOVBd Partitionsv A which is extremely simple in its construction, Fig- 12 iS 8. fragmentary perspective View 0f rugged and durable, and which will withstand the base portion 0f the partition Shown in Fig. 2. considerable hard usage without becoming dis- Fig. 13 is a fragmentary sectional view showlodged or in any other way atected. ing the method of joining adjacent edges of par- 50 Yet another object of the invention is to protition sections meeting at an odd angle. vide a partition which may be manufactured Fig. 14 is a fragmentary sectional view showin inexpensively, one which is attractive in its dea method of using the space filling or stiiening ,r sign, and which may be ea'sily installed and iitted elements of Figs. 8, 9 and logtor the full partition 9 into the position which -it is to 5occupy. height to give maximum rigidity, and i Fig., 15 is a view of a method of wedging panels in place. A

In all of the above described views, like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts throughout.

Referring now to Fig. 1 wherein an open top partition construction is shown, the floor is designated at 20. The partition proper is shown at 22. This partition may be formed of any suitable composition and, as shown in Fig. 4, may be of a single thickness of material. An alternate form of partition proper shown in Fig. 5 consists in a pair of thin sheets of Amaterial 24, between which there is disposed a iiller material 26 which may be of any suitable composition such as plaster or porous or brous material.

In order to secure the lower longitudinal edge of the partition 22 to the oor, a retaining unit designated in its entirety at 28 is secured to the floor 20. This unit comprises a U-shaped channel member 30 adapted to be secured to the floor by means of screws 32 or the. like. Welded or otherwise secured as at 36 centrally of the channel member 30 and co-extensive therewith, is a second and smaller channel member 34, the parallel flanges of which are somewhat longer than the parallel ilanges of unit 30. The lower longitudinal edge of the p artition proper is adapted to be received between the parallel anges of the member 34. Ornamental base boards 38 or 41 of any suitable design and of any suitable material are adapted to be received on opposite sides of the Apartition 22 with their lower longitudinal edges positioned between the anges of the channel member and the flanges of the channel member 30 and held therein by means of bolts or screws. From the above construction it will be seen that the partition is securely supported on the iioor against lateral shifting.

In open top panel work, an ornamental effect may be given to the panel construction by provviding a longitudinally extending sheet metal structure 58 simulating a molding strip. This member may be rolled from ilat strip stock and consists in an inverted U-shaped panel member having side walls 40 which are bent upon themselves as at 42 and inwardly as at 44 to give the desired effect on opposite sides of the panel. Such a strip provides a picture molding on opposite sides of the panel construction at the top thereof and lends a finished appearance to the panel structure. In addition to this, rigidity of construction is effected by virtue of the fact that the channel-shaped molding 58 will bridge adjacent sections of the partition.

Further, low potential electric wires, such as are used in connection with bells, buzzers, telephones and the like, will be run behind the molding portions of this member and thereby eliminate the necessity of special electrical conduits.

Referring now to Fig. 2, a modified form of partition construction is shown. In this form of the invention the partition is adapted to divide the space between the iioor and the ceiling and is adapted to be employed as a more or less permanent structure.

the ceiling 2|.

a U-shaped member 62, the parallel flanges of which are adapted td receive therebetween the section 46 of the panel proper. The space within the hollow channel member 52 is adapted to contain and conceal electrical or telephone wires that may be strung therethrough,.and in order that access may be had to `these wires, a plurality of apertures 64 are provided inthe side iianges of the channel portion of the member 52. Pipes and conduits may also be run' through this hollow space.

'I'he section 50 is supported upon the section 46 and is held in alignment therewith by-means of a retaining unit designated in its entirety at 1|..

sides of the panel assembly simulating picture moldings and from which pictures or other objects of decoration may be hung.' 'I'he upper longitudinal edge of the section is held against lateral displacement by means of a channel member 80 suitably secured by means of screws 82 to It will be seen that adjacent sections of the panel construction will be longitudinally reinforced by means of the retaining unit 1|.

In Fig. 2-A the method of joining adjacent vertical panel sections is shown. The upper panel section is shown at 48 and the lower panel section at 46. The section 48 is supported upon the section 46 and held in alignment therewith by means of a retaining unit 66 consisting of two channelshaped members 68 and 10 welded back to back to present upwardly extending retaining flanges on opposite sides. The upper longitudinal edge of the section 46 ,is disposed within the downwardly presenting channel member 10, while the lower longitudinal edge of the section 48 is disposed within the upwardly presenting channel member 6R. In addition to supporting the section 48 upon the/section 46, this retaining member 66 serves to reinforce the sections against lateral bending or displacement.

In Fig. 3 a modified form'oi' the invention is disclosed and in this form of the invention the lower retaining unit 52 is identical with the retaining unit described in connection with Fig. 2

and the retaining unit 66 is the same as in Fig.

?-A. The 'channel member 62 of the unit 52 andv the channel member 1U of the member 66 respectively serve to retain the lower and upper longitudinal head members 88 and 90 of an expanded metal or woven wire structure 84. The base boards 38 have their lower longitudinal edges disposed between the channel portion of the member 52 and the anges 58. The other material UH in this ligure is made of plaster or the like to give the partition a smooth inished appearance.

Referring now t'o Fig. 6, the-'method of joining the adjacent panel sections is disclosed. In this figure, a pair of adjacent panel sections are designated at |83 and |05. T he panel |05 is provided with a reduced portion 94 adjacent one vertical edge thereof providing a shoulder 96. The extreme edge of this panel |05 is provided with a tapered reduced portion 98 providing a shoulder |09. The adjacent edge of the panel |03 is provided With a. reduced portion 99 providing a shoulder 91 and the extreme edge of this panel is provided with a tapered groove 35 adapted to receive therein the tapered reduced portion 98 of the panel |05, the shoulder bearing against the extreme edge of the panel |03.` The shoulders 96 and 91 provide therebetween shallow grooves 93 in which there may be cemented or otherwise suitably secured an elongated vertical sheet metal strip 9 I, the outer surface of which lies flush with the surface of the panels |03 and |05. This strip may remain exposed and present an ornamental feature of the `panel assembly, or, if the panels I are to have wall paper or other covering appliedv to their outer surface, this strip insures a smooth surface at the joining edges o'f adjacent panels. The strip 9| may be formed in any suitable manner land of any suitable material.

1/64" or less. The material of which the panel is formed is preferably such that. it will withstand a trimming operation or cutting operation to present well defined corners `and edges, in order that the dovetail joint above described will be eiective. If material that is not capable of preserving its sharp corners is employed, the metal strip 9| will effectively conceal the joining edges of the panels.

Fig. 6-A shows how the strip 9|, in Fig. 6 may be omitted and the dovetailed edges cemented together with cement |01; If a more ornamental appearance is desired, the construction in Fig. 6-B may be used, wherein the beaded element |09 is interposed between panels |05 and |03 and cemented in place. y

In order lto add rigidity to the panel construction, the present invention makes use of a number of diierent size spacing and.stiiening elements shown in Figs. 7, 8, 9 and l0; These spacing and stiffening elements may be in the form of solid metal members, the members shown in Fig. 7 being designated at 89 and having one side 81 thereof complementary in form to one vertical edge of the panel |05, while the other side thereof, 85, is complementary to the adjacent edge of the panel |03. The thickness of the member 83 may be varied and in Fig. 8 one of these spacer elements designated at 83 is shown as ,being :formed of solid metal of somewhat greater thickness than the thickness of the member 89. In Figs. 9 and 10 spacer elements similar to the elements shown in Figs. 'I and 8 are disclosed. These elements are inthe form of `hollow sheet metal members 19 and 8| respectively.

Whether solid spacing and stifening elements or whether the hollow type of elements be ernployed, these elements are manufactured of different thicknesses, so that by proper choosing of these elements for insertion between the vertical edges of the panels, discrepancies in the distance between walls to be bridged by the panel construction may be accommodated, aswell as adding the required rigidity. Fig.'14 is a view showing how the spacing and stiffening element 83 oi Fig. 8 may beadapted to a panel construction such as shown in or similar Yto Figs. l and 2.

In Fig. l2 a simplied form of retaining unit, adapted to supplant the retaining -unit shown at 52 in Fig. 2, is disclosed. In this form of the invention the panel sections 22 are retained in position on the channel portion 52 by means of a pair of strips of'sheet metal' G3 spot-welded or otherwise secured as at 65 to the sides of the channel portion 52. These strips project upwardly above the channel portions 52 and are adapted to receive therebetween the lower longi- It is preferable,. however, that this strip be of light sheet metal,

as, for example, metal having a thickness oftudinal edge of the panel sections 22 to support the same against lateral displacement and to reinforce the same.' The sides of the channel member 52 are provided with apertures 64 so that .access may be had to the interior of the channel portion 52 for the purposel of running electrical or telephone lines thr ugh the channel.

vWhere adjacent ends@ of panel sections 22 are to bev brought together .to form a corner fastening, the invention contemplates provision of a structure shown in Fig. 11. member 43 having parallel anges 4| and 89 is received over a vertical edge of a panel 22. 'Ihe ilange 39 is welded to the base 31 of a channel member 35 having parallel anges 33 and 3|, between which there is received the adjacent end of another panel 22 Such a corner fastening is interchangeable in eand may be employed for forming corners reg rdless of the direction that the right angle of the corner may extend.

In Fig. 13 is disclosed a method of joining two panel members at anodd angle. Two angular plate members I2 and ||3 are secured to the adjacent ends of the panels22 by screws forming an easily made and rigid joint.

In carryingout the invention where open top structures of the type shown in Fig. --1 are concerned, ,it is contemplated employing panels of suilicient height that the horizontal joints shown in Fig. 2 need not be employed and, similarly, where the panel sections are to extend from the floor to the ceiling, itis preferable that the lower A .U -shaped channel panel section extend from the retaining member 52 to the picture molding mer'nber 12 and that a panel of suicient height be employed to extend from the picture molding member 12 to the ceiling.

6 Where a single panel will extend from the iioor vention has been particularly pointed out in the` vaccompanying claims is the same to be limited.

I claim:

1. The combination with a floor, of a comparatively wide channel member secured to said iloor with its flanges presenting upwardly, a relatively narrow channel member secured centrally to said first mentioned channel member and co-extensive therewith, the anges of said second mentioned channel member extending upwardly, a partition havingits lower longitudinal edge receivedbetween the anges of said second channel member, and a pair of base boards, one disposed on each side of said partition, said base boards having their lower longitudinal edges disposed between a flange of said rst mentioned channel member and a flange of said secondmentioned channel member. 'y

2. 'I'he combination with a floor, of a comparatively wide channel membergsecured to said floor with its iianges presenting upwardly, a relatively narrow channel member secured centrally to said first mentioned channel member and co-extenslve therewith, the flanges of said second mentioned channel member extending upwardly, a partition having its lower longitudinal edge received between the flanges of said'second channel member, and a pair of base boards, one disposed on each side of said partition, said base boards having their lower longitudinal edges disposed between a flange of said first mentioned channel member and a iiange of said second mentioned channel member, and said base boards serving to reinforce said partition and concealing the flanges of said second mentioned channel member.

3. A retaining unit for partitions comprising a comparatively wide channel member having relatively narrow parallel flanges, a relatively narrow channel member secured within said l:first mentioned channel member centrally thereof and extending co-extensively therewith, said s'econd channel member having comparatively wide parallel flanges extending parallel to the flanges of said rst mentioned channel member.v

4. The combination with a -sectional partition consisting of a lower section supported on va oor and an upper section superimposed on said lower section, of an elongated retainer having a channel portion in whichthe upper longitudinal edge of said lower section is disposed and having a second channel portion in which the lower longitudinal edge of said upper section is disposed, one of said channel portions having parallel anges, one of said nanges being turned inwardly to provide va picture molding on one side of said partition.

5. The combination with a sectional partition having a lower section adapted to rest upon the oor and an upper section superimposed upon said lower section, of an elongated strip of material substantially channel-shaped in cross section and having downwardly extendingilanges, the upper longitudinal edge of said lower section being disposed between said anges, said strip of sheet metal having a second channel portion having parallel iianges, the lower longitudinal edge of said upper section being disposed'between said last mentioned flanges, said iirst mentioned flanges being bent outwardly and upwardly and thence inwardly to form a picture molding concealing said last mentioned channel portion.

6. The combination with a floor of a retaining unit secured to said floor, said retaining unit having an inverted channel portion providing a space for the reception of wires, a channel member secured to said inverted channel portion and having upwardly presenting flanges and a partition having its lower longitudinal edge disposed between said iianges and retained therein, said retaining unit having upwardly extending flanges spaced from the sides of said inverted channel portion and a pairof base boards having their lower edges disposed between said ilanges and the sides of said channel portion, said base boards extending upwardly to conceal said channelv portion and reinforce the lower portion of said partition. y

7. A retaining unit for partitions and the like, comprising an elongated strip of metal having a central inverted channel portion and apair of 'parallel upright channel portions on opposite sides of said central channel portion, a pair of retaining elements on opposite sides ot said inverted channel portion adapted to receive therebetween of a channel member having downwardly extend-- ing anges straddling the upper end of said lower section, said downwardly extending flanges being reversed upon themselves to form picture molding, a second channel member having upwardly extending flanges straddling the lower end oi said upper section, said channel members being spot-welded together at their base portions.

9. 'I'he vcombination with a oor of a retaining unit secured to said iloor, said retaining unit being substantially channel shaped in cross section and having an inverted channel portion adapted to receive therein electrical wires, saidretaining unit having an upright channel portion secured to said inverted channel portion, a panel assembly comprising an expanded metal web having a leyver hollow head portion disposed within said upright channel portion, said expanded metal web being embedded in a cementitious composition forming a panel section.

10. A panel assembly comprising a retaining unit adapted to be secured upon a floor, said retaining imit comprising an elongated strip of sheet metal having an inverted channel portion having downwardly extending anges, said flanges being extended laterally ,and upwardly to provide a pair of channel portions disposed on opposite sides of said inverted channel portion, there being apertures in the sides of said inverted channel portion to permit access to be had to the'interior of the same, a channel member secured to said inverted channelportion and having upwardly extending flanges, a pair of base boards having their lower longitudinal edges disposed in the channel portions adjacent said inverted channel portion, a. channel section comprising a lower head portion and an upper head portion connected together by a webportion oi.' expanded metal or woven wire, said lower head portion being received between said upwardly extending iianges of said channel member, said expanded metal web being embedded in a cementitious or other material.

11. The combination with a iioor of a comparatively wide channel member secured to said iloor, a relatively narrow channel member secured within said first channel member centrally thereof and extending co-extensively therewith, the

flanges o! said channel members extending upwardly in parallel relation, a partition having its lower longitudinal edge disposed between the anges of said second mentioned channel member and a pair of base boards disposed in opposite sides of said partition and having their lower longitudinal vedges disposed betweenthe iianges of said ilrst mentioned channel member and the iianges of said second mentioned channel member, and a screw extending through each base board and a flange of said second mentioned channel member and into said partition to secure said partition in position.

12. The combination with a sectional partition consisting of a lower section supported on a iioor and an upper section superimposed on said lower section, of an elongated retainer having a channel portion in which the upper longitudinal edge of said lower section is disposed and having va second channel portion in which the lower iongitudinal edge of said upper section is disposed. the upper of said channel portions having parallel iianges,V one oi said flanges being turned inwardly to provide a'picture molding on one side of said partition.

13. A retaining unit for partitions and the like comprising an elongated strip of metal having a central inverted enamel portion and a pair of parallel upright channel portions on opposite sides of said central channel portion, a pair of retaining elements on Aopposite sides of said inverted channel portion adapted to receive therebetween the lower edge of a panel, the interior of said channel portion being adapted to receive therein a plurality of electrical conductors, the

sides` of said channel/portion having a plurality of spaced apertures therein to permit the passage of said electrical conductors therefrom, said upright channel portions being adapted to receive therein the lower edges of a pair of base boards. 5

CARLTON SCHULTZ. 

